Page 104

Fox

F ox stalked into the bar with Dane behind him, feeling more than a little irritated and restless. He hadn’t wanted to let Colin run off on his own tonight, but he’d been trying to follow Dane’s wishes and avoid smothering the human.

(It wasn’t like Dane was any better—he’d been checking his phone every three minutes, even while they’d been tracking the strange vampire’s scent.)

The only reason they’d felt comfortable letting Colin go off on his own with a rogue vampire in town in the first place was because he would be with another of their own kind. Jamie could protect him if anything happened.

Then again, Fox was just about ready to flip a table when he scanned the crowded bar to find neither Colin nor Jamie were anywhere to be seen. What. The. Fuck?

He relaxed only slightly when he spotted Lucien nursing his whiskey in the corner like a creep, all black-eyed like he didn’t give a fuck who saw a vampire in their midst. Jamie had to be around somewhere, then. This asshole never let his mate far from his sight.

Fox strode over to the table, Dane at his heels.

“They’re here?” he asked, his voice coming out gruff and a little pissy. He couldn’t help it. Luc had that effect on him.

“Back room, playing pool.” Luc tilted his chin toward the back of the bar, to where Fox realized there was a small doorway leading to what was presumably another room.

Fox turned to walk over, eager to see Colin in the flesh, but Luc stopped him with a tutting noise. “Ah, ah. We have business to discuss first. Have you found anything?”

It was tempting to ignore the asshole completely, but ultimately Fox relented. The sooner they could figure out whether the vamp they’d smelled was the creep they were looking for, the sooner they could either toast them or run them off and focus on matters closer to home.

Like Colin, and how the fuck to keep him by their side.

Fox exchanged a look with Dane, who made his way to the bar to grab them drinks, before pulling out a chair. Even with two bartenders working, the crowd around the bar was substantial—it would take Dane more than a minute to get through.

“There was nothing downtown or in the surrounding neighborhoods,” he reported after settling in. “We did catch a faint scent on the east side, out at the edge of the desert. The guy could be roughing it out there.”

Luc took a sip of his whiskey, pursing his lips thoughtfully. “Roughing it wouldn’t be the only option. There are a few resorts out there he could be staying at. If he’s driving, you wouldn’t catch much of a scent.” He shrugged a leather-clad shoulder. “That’s what I might do.”

Fox hadn’t thought of that. Then again, he wasn’t as hoity-toity as some assholes he could mention, so why would he? He didn’t keep track of the ridiculous resort monstrosities out in the desert, with their giant pools and their spas and their goddamn golf courses.

He tapped a spare coaster against the table.

“Dane and I can check them out tomorrow, then.” It would have been reasonable enough to ask Luc and Jamie to do it, but Fox preferred that he and Dane handle it.

He wanted to know for sure what was going on, not rely on secondhand reports from unstable lunatics.

Luc hummed his agreement, as if he had no opinion either way. Maybe he didn’t. It was Jamie who had all the humanity in that particular duo. Who knew if Luc even gave a shit that a rogue asshole might be turning kids?

The thought amped up Fox’s irritability. “What are you doing here, anyway?” he grumbled. “Can’t leave your mate alone for a few hours?”

Luc bared his teeth in a poor imitation of a smile. “I suppose it’s the same reason you’re attached at the hip with that one over there.” He nodded to Dane, who still hadn’t made it in front of a bartender. “Our monsters don’t like to be apart, do they?”

Fox scowled. “It’s different for us. I’ve known my brother my whole life. My loyalty makes more sense than putting it all on the line for someone you met a day ago and happen to like the smell of.”

“Is that so?” A strange gleam entered Lucien’s black eyes.

“And how is your new human pet doing, by the way?” His lips twitched when Fox stiffened.

“You know, he’s probably gotten all he can from the two of you.

Perhaps he’s ready for a different set of vampires to play with.

” He leaned in, tongue tracing his lower lip, his metallic scent tickling Fox’s nostrils.

“Did you know he and Jamie used to play together quite a bit? I wouldn’t be surprised if my lovely mate was looking for another taste. He speaks so fondly of your Colin.”

This. Dick.

The thing was Fox knew Luc was only trying to rile him up. The creep was too possessive by half to ever allow a third in his relationship, even for a night. But that didn’t stop Fox’s inner devil from raising its hackles, ready to tear Luc’s head from his shoulders.

“In fact,” Luc said with a smile, his fangs peeking out from between his lips, “I’ve been keeping an ear out for what’s going on in there, just in case my flower got any ideas without me, but it turns out it’s not Jamie you need to worry about.

Your Colin has an ex-lover in attendance tonight.

” He gave an exaggerated sigh, draining his glass completely.

“First loves run so deeply, don’t they?”

Fox jolted up from his seat, not missing the glint of satisfaction in Luc’s eye at his reaction. He was playing right into the asshole’s hands, but he couldn’t be bothered to care.

Luc might have been a dick, but he wasn’t a liar.

Fox strode quickly to the back room, pausing in the doorway, just able to catch the end of an unfamiliar voice saying, “—almost didn’t recognize you. All that blue hair.”

And then Colin’s voice, cold as ice. “Yeah, well, it’s been a long time.” It wasn’t the pissy tone he used when he wanted to act tough. He was genuinely angry, and the thought made Fox livid in turn.

The stranger let out a condescending laugh. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. You look good.”

Fox didn’t like the way he said it, all flirty and fond, like he had some sort of claim—as if some trumped-up old human flame could have any sort of claim on their lamb—so he slipped into the room and joined them, wrapping an arm around Colin’s chest and pulling him back against him. “Hi, baby,” he purred. “You miss me?”

From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Jamie’s expression changing from pissed to utterly delighted.

But Fox’s main focus was on the douchebag in front of him.

He was preppier than Fox would have expected for an ex-boyfriend of Colin’s, all neat blond hair and expensive jeans. Although, he was handsome enough, which pissed Fox the fuck off. Even with that sour-lemon expression on his face. Apparently he wasn’t too pleased by Fox’s arrival.

Too fucking bad.

Colin, though, was stiff against him, meaning there was probably a fifty-fifty chance of Fox getting socked in the face for this particular proprietary display. But he’d known that going in.

Then Colin’s hand settled on Fox’s arm, and he relaxed back against him. “Hey,” Colin said softly, the anger that had been in his voice nowhere to be found. “Derek, this is Fox. Fox, Derek.”

“Pleasure,” Fox bit out, making it clear it was anything but.

He felt Dane behind him before he saw him.

Fox had only a second of worry that he might get pissy—he’d wanted Fox not to smother Colin, hadn’t he?

—before he had to bite back a smirk when Dane fucking kissed the side of Colin’s head in greeting, standing close enough to make it abundantly clear how their relationship stood.

Derek—and was there any douchier name in the world than Derek ?—was gaping now, eyes dancing between each of them. “You’re joking,” he said, his voice strangled. “I feel like I just walked onto the set of a bad porno.”

“Who the fuck’s laughing?” Colin said coolly, before either Fox or Dane could go off on the guy.

Derek gave him the most fake-ass smile Fox had ever seen. “I’m just surprised is all. You used to have trouble with just one boyfriend, let alone two.”

“I think it was you who had the trouble.”

“Not the way I remember it.” Derek stepped closer, clearly about to say something nasty. “The way I remember—”

Fox had had enough. Fuck this guy. Fuck his stupid name.

Fuck his picture-perfect looks. Fuck the way he looked at Colin like he had a right to him.

Fox growled, long and low, fighting to keep his devil from surfacing.

“I suggest you step back if you don’t want to pay for reconstructive surgery on that pretty face of yours. ”

Derek’s hands shot up, placating. “Whoa, whoa. No need to get aggressive. Colin and I are cool. Aren’t we, Colin?”

The hand on Fox’s arm clenched tightly. “We haven’t been cool in a long time, Derek. You can fuck right off, and I think you know that. Better yet, we will.” Colin stepped out of Fox’s arms and turned to Jamie. “Can I get a rain check?”

“Sure thing, dude. We already had drinks and a show. What more could I ask for?”

Derek let out a forced laugh, clearly trying to save face.

“God, Colin. I don’t remember you being this much of a dick.

” He caught Fox’s eye, and it took everything in Fox not to blind him for the audacity.

“All I’m saying is don’t be surprised when you end up disappointed with this one.

He tends to make promises he can’t keep. ”

He slinked past them into the main bar, and it was only knowing Colin would hate a scene that prevented Fox from reaching out and snapping his arm like a twig.

Still, it was best to check. Maybe he’d be surprised. “Want us to ruin him for you?”

Colin scrubbed at his face with one hand. “No, thanks.” The sadness in his voice was like a knife to the gut. “Just take me home, yeah?”

The walk back was too quiet, Colin tense and silent beside them.